Cape Town - Another foreign airline will join the increasing number flying into Cape Town by the end of this year.
German airline Condor will start a seasonal service between the city and Frankfurt on November 3, filling the gap left by Lufthansa’s decision to fly from here to Munich instead of Frankfurt this summer.
This came about as a result of a ban on late-night arrivals and departures from Frankfurt following complaints about noise.
Munich is probably a more attractive destination for SA leisure travellers, particularly winter sports fans at that time of year, but Frankfurt is one of the main European destinations for business travellers.
Although both Lufthansa and SAA fly there daily from Joburg, most Capetonians prefer direct flights from our own airport and many travelling on business used the Lufthansa seasonal flight.
Condor is wholly owned by the international tour company Thomas Cook and its service is clearly aimed at the leisure market, but I am sure business travellers from Cape Town will take advantage of it if possible, although it will offer only two return flights a week.
Condor’s long-haul flights offer three classes: economy, premium economy and “comfort” (business class). It flies more than six million passengers to about 75 destinations worldwide every year. Unlike Lufthansa, it will not have a general manager and full staff in this country but has appointed Aviareps, based in Sandton, as its general sales agent.
Ethiopian Airlines
Ethiopian Airlines, which flies between Joburg and Addis Ababa, has a similar arrangement with Holiday Holdings, which represents a number of foreign airlines, as its general sales agent.
Ethiopian is the first African airline to acquire Boeing’s new Dreamliner aircraft with a number of new features. It is only the second airline in the world to have one, and is using it on the route between its home airport of Addis Ababa and Joburg.
It was due to arrive at Joburg’s OR Tambo airport for the first time on Tuesday to be shown to the press and many others impatient to see it for the first time, and its arrival was eagerly awaited.
But the airline had to change its schedule at the last minute and divert it to Dubai on the way here, changing its arrival time here to 7pm and disappointing the crowds.
We are likely to see a Dreamliner at our own airport when British Airways takes delivery of several it has on order. It has also ordered Airbus A380s. Frank van der Post, the airline’s managing director for brands and customer experience, told me it was likely to use the Dreamliner on the Cape Town route as well as an A380 to Joburg. - Weekend Argus